


Protective instinct

by SpookyStar29



Category: NCIS
Genre: Basically two cuties, Family, Fluff and cuddles, Multi, Unexpected happenings, love and friendship - Freeform, „daughter“ slash „sister-in-law“
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-10
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:55:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25184431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyStar29/pseuds/SpookyStar29
Summary: She has friends. Friends who are her family. But she also lost many people she loved.Until one sunday midday a stranger steps into her life and Jacqueline Sloane starts to realize she has never been truly alone …
Relationships: Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane/Kaylee Duvall, Jethro Gibbs/Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I always had a weird obsession about a storyline like this, don’t ask me why.  
> Yesterday I watched „The lucky ones“ (which is now one of my favorite movies) and I love Rachel McAdams to death and her character Colee was soo cute … so this was my inspiration.

Saturdays were her favorites, but since she enjoyed going to work Sundays weren’t much worse. And it was a beautiful Sunday.

She had made a long walk through the park, grabbed something to eat and spend an entire fporty minutes lying in the grass, earpods in, listening to music and relaxing with the sun shining down on her.  
  


It was late afternoon as she went back home, greeting her neighbours. She turned into the little path to the door, fiddled for her key – and slowed down. There was someone sitting on the stairs – a woman in dark jeans, a rusted red tank top, and a guitar on her lap. She wasnt really playing, more like testing accords, but she definitaly seemed to be wai …  
  
Her heart hammered as she saw it. The very distinctive chain around her neck, silver, with two rectangular plates.  
  
And before Jack Sloane could think about anything else, she already blurted out: „Hi, are you looking for someone particular?“  
As if her voice were a shotgun the woman’s head snapped up and her hand stilled. And then she stared at her with huge eyes, as if Jack had just changed into a ghost.  
She wasnt frightened, though. It was pure excitement. And something else – she saw tears appearing immediately.  
Then she slowly placed the guitare next to her and got up. „Are you Jacqueline Sloane?“  
Her voice was spoken husk, excited, almost breathless.  
„Yes“, she said, slightly confused but still smiling. „Ahm … do I know you?“  
The young woman stared at her – expressive, greenish eyes focused on her, her beautiful face framed with strands of brownblonde hair. Her attention would have refocused on the dog tags dangling from her neck, but there was something in that woman’s face that made it absolutely impossible to turn away, and that wasn’t just because she was beautiful.  
„No, you don’t.“  
She took another step. And then Jack saw it. Her eyes were coated with tears, her lip was trembling. And then she threw her arms around her and hugged her so tight she couldnt remember someone had ever done before.

She was a touchy person. She loved cuddling and showing gentle affection. But that a complete stranger suddenly hugged her so tight as if she had just come out of a battle, that was newland, even for her. Not wanting to come across as reluctant but unsure nevertheless, she lightly placed her hand on the younger woman‘s back. She felt her body tremble immediately, as if the touch had released something within her.  
There was a strange feeling to that hug … and whatever it was, she found comfort in it.

„Oh god it’s really you“, she suddenly heard a whisper close to her ear which brought her back tot he present.  
Jack blinked in confusion. Should she know her? But before she could come up with anything to say, she pulled away, wiped her eyes, and gave her a radiating smile. She was extraordinarily gorgeous, beautiful and sweet with dimples and eyes full of light.  
She would remember a woman like her if she had met her before.  
„I’m so sorry. I … I told myself to keep it all together but …“ She inhaled deeply and used her arm to dry another tear which escaped her eyes. She was still smiling, though.  
„It’s alright“, Jack said smoothly, getting more and more curious the second. „But … it would be much less weird if you could tell me how … well, how you know me, because I cant recall meeting you before.“  
„Of course, yes, sorry.“ She held out her hand, Jack took it. There was a strange familiarity in it, as if … yes, as if they _had_ met before.  
„I’m Kaylee. Kaylee Duvall.“ Her voice was trembling, her hand shaking. Her chest was heaving as if she was shortly before a very important, nervracking mission. Eyes of green and blue, she could make that out now, met her brown ones. And then the words reached her, spoken so soft they were bearely to be heard, but Jack would forever remember them as if somone had just yelled right into her ear.  
„I’m your stepsister.“


	2. Chapter 2

Jack couldn‘t recall how they ended up in her living room.

Maybe she had just invited her in. Without saying anything else. Because from the way the young woman was looking at her and nervously fiddling with her hands, she hadn‘t said anything to calm her down.

All she knew was – she had no idea how to define the turmoil inside of her. She didn’t know WHAT she was feeling. She was …  
Overwhelmed.   
Her emotions would drive her crazy so they shut down, her body decided to simply go calm and numb.

Nevertheless … it was her to speak first.   
„I … how is that possible. I mean … I know HOW it would be possible but … I don’t … I never …“ She ruffled her hair and blew out a long breath. „Sorry.“ She closed her eyes.   
Counted.   
one, two, three …   
„Usually I’m good with words.“   
„I guess so.“ Kaylee tilted her head. „You’re a psychologist, right?“  
Jack nodded. „So you know who I am. I mean, not just my name.“   
Kaylee smiled. She had a light, incredibly sweet smile. „I did. I had to know where to find you.“   
„I don’t … listen.“ Jack took another deep breath. „I hope you didn’t come here with the expectation that I’d welcome you without any … let’s call it slight suspicion. “   
Kaylee nodded. „Of course not. I … I’m sure this is a lot to take in.“   
„Yeah it is.“ Jack nodded in exaggeration.

Short silence.

„I felt the same, you know. As I … when I found out that I had a sister. Stepsister, I mean. And that my mum, well … lied to me for many years.“  
That was perfect. It gave typical Jack Sloane an opportunity to do what she was best at – caring for others, listening to their stories, and therefore not being forced to talk or think about herself. „What happened?“   
This time the smile was faint, but honest. „You wanna hear the whole story or the short form?“  
„Well, you are here.“ Her lips twisted into a slight smile. „And if you want to prove to me that you really are my … stepsister, you better tell me the whole thing from beginning to end.“   
„Okay, where should I start …“  
„Start with how you found out about me.“   
Kaylee blinked and Jack turned red. „Sorry“, she apologized. „Psychology tick.“   
The young woman’s lips twisted. „That’s fine. Actually quite good. There is … it’s a lot to talk about, actually.“   
She took a deep breath. „Okay.“ Folded her hands. And started.

„Two years ago my mum was very, very sick. She almost died. And … in the hospital as I visited her during Army leave she said she needed to get something off her chest.   
She never told me who my real dad was. Said he was „the one that got away“. Nothing serious, apparently. And I never bothered much because for me, the man she was with and had been since I could remember WAS my real dad. He never treated me less good.   
But she felt she had to tell me, that I needed to know the truth. There was no need for a paternity test, she had just known. She gave me his name, and … then I looked you up. Because I … I just needed to meet you.“  
And suddenly Jack remembered something.   
„Mum and dad had a huge fight once, I found out about it per accident as I had joined the army. They even broke up for more than a year when … oh my god.“ She rapidly looked up. „In which year was that?“  
„Around 1990. They met in the summer.“   
Jack stilled. Stared at her. „ Dad must have met your mum during that time.“   
Kaylee nodded. „I suppose yes.“  
„So you are … how old?“  
„I’m 30.“  
Now it was HER to stare, her eyes widened, blinking. „You are _what_?!“   
„That’s the bangs and the brown strands.“ Kaylee smiled and roamed through the short hair around her temples. „They make me look younger. And the clothes.“   
„You barely look like 25“, Jack stated.   
„I take it as a compliment“, Kaylee grinned.

Again, silence.

„He told her about you, you know. And then she told me.“   
Jack blinked. „He did?“   
Kaylee nodded, smiling. „Yes. That he was very proud of you. That he had a daughter named Jacqueline who joined the Army and went for a psychology degree.“ She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, as if dwelling in memories. “Sometimes I have a feeling that this was the reason mum wasn’t against my decision to join. Maybe … maybe there was a little spark of hope within her that we would meet some day.”  
Jack nodded, slowly.   
It made sense. Strangely, everything made sense. Expect of one thing, which she didn’t understand.   
„How did he never … I mean … he never told me he had a daughter.“ Jack exhaled loudly. „Why didn’t he? Mum and him were separated at that time, he didn’t cheat on her, there would have been no …“  
„She never told him.“  
Kaylee’s voice made her look up.   
„What?“  
„My mother never told your … our dad that he had another daughter.“ She bat her lashes. „She didn’t want him to feel like he were standing between two chairs. She said it was a short lived romance and she didn’t want to … intrude in his life. She was capable of raising me on her own, and later with her husband. Didn’t want him to be forced into something. To … to be forced to choose between two daughters. Between us.“

Silence.

„Oh my god.“ Jack shook her head all over again.   
„I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot. For you even more, I guess.“   
She stilled within shaking her head, nodded, then let out a noise as she realized something.

“Do you want something to drink? I’m a horrible host.”   
The corner of her lips twisted. “I don’t supposed you’ve got Canadian Ginger Ale here, do you?”  
Jack smiled at how she tried to uplift the situation. “Sadly not. But I think there must be a coke somewhere …”  
“Oh, I don’t mind. As long as it has some flavor in it.”

She found a lemonade – probably Grace had left it there and then forgot about it – and went back into the living room with it. Her mind was spinning, her heart pounding, as she replayed everything which had happened within the past minutes.

Kaylee accepted the bottle with a thanks, she nodded, sat down again.   
Silence, again.   
They both didn’t need to speak, again.   
Kaylee didn’t pressure, and she was glad for that.

„How is your mother doing now?“, she asked almost out of instinct as she remembered.   
„She made it.” Kaylee smiled, apparently seemingly happy she thought about it. “What about your mum? And … do you have family here?”  
Jack inhaled. “My mum died years ago. She was sick. Peacefully, in her sleep. It was … it was the best for her.” She caught sympathy in Kaylee’s eyes and decided to stir the conversation around, really not into dwelling in past memories.   
“I have a daughter, Faith, who I gave up for adoption right after she was born, but we met and we get along really well. She lives here, too. My dad still lives in Sacramento.”  
The words fell out of her mouth before she even thought about it. Wow.   
Something within her must have already accepted the fact that apparently, she did share a 50 percent DNA-sample with this woman.  
“So … tell me something about you. Where are you from? What did you do? Your favorite movies.”   
Kaylee laughed and crossed her left leg over her right thigh. “Okay. Just interrupt me when I talk too much.”

…

She didn’t count the time nor did she bother watching the clock. All she knew was … she felt comfortable in the younger woman’s presence. She was easy to talk to, their conversation was light and uplifting, and the more time went on … the less Jack wanted her to leave.

Just then Kaylee caught a look outside through the window and her forehead clenched.   
„It’s getting late, ahm … I should probably … call a taxi and ..“  
„No way, you are staying here.“  
Kaylee stilled. „Really?“  
„Of course!“ Jack shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it. „Did you honestly think I’d let my newfound little sister look for a hotel? I want you to stay. Here, with me.“

Kaylee stilled. Looked at her.

And then it settled in. Seeped through her bones. The realization.   
It was as if it had been necessary for her to actually _speak_ the words out loud.

Her vision blurred as she looked at that young woman in front of her – the cutest, adorable bean she had ever seen.   
It wasn’t just that, though. She had a tendency to get overly protective of especially younger women who seemed so sweet and fragile even though she knew very well that this one had probably seen equally worse things and went through hard experiences just as she did.   
It was the fact that … she had a real reason to care for her.

She was protective over Ellie, over Kasie, heck, even over Hollis sometimes (few times, mostly it was the other way around though). That was because they were her friends.   
But Kaylee … this young woman was her sister. Her little sister.   
They had a biological link, were tied to each other. And even though she had only been talking to her for a few minutes – or hour, she didn’t know – she knew the second these wonderful eyes had met hers something had changed within her.   
Her sister.   
Her brave little sister.

Jack blinked and she felt a tear run down her cheek. That was the second she saw it in Kaylee’s eyes. Eyes that reddened, a lip bite, trembling hands.   
„Come here.“ She waved her over and even though her vision was getting more and more clouded, she could see every emotion dancing across Kaylee’s face. „Come here.“ She got up mid sentence as Kaylee approached her. And this time the hug was mutual.   
It was stronger than any hug she had ever experienced with anyone else – and so different. Jack Sloane felt something in her heart, her soul, every fiber of her body, something she had never felt before.   
Only once … the day Faith was born.   
And it was back, the feeling.   
And only then she realized she had missed it.

She had always wondered about that feeling of having a sibling, especially a younger one. She had never known, tried to imagine it.   
Usually she was good at that.   
But in this moment, as she threw her arms around Kaylee and pulled her close, hugged her until there wasn’t a single inch parting them anymore, she realized everything she had thought she had known about caring for someone had just become something completely different.

„Thank you“, she breathed.   
Kaylee stirred, made a noise. And Jack didn’t hesitate turning her head and pressing a light kiss to her temple.   
She didn’t need a dna test. She knew. Just as Kaylee’s mum had known.   
She just KNEW.  
„Thank you for finding me.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D
> 
> (I didn't want to spend too much time of Kaylee having to prove herself, hope you're fine with that)

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you think of this first chapter, guys :) I hope you liked it!


End file.
